Where to live/good schools Cardiff

[jkd10]

Hello

I'm hoping for some advice on best areas of Cardiff to live. I moved back from London last year after 18 years of enjoying city living and working in media/music but moved closer to my parents in the valleys while we look for somewhere suitable to base ourselves.

We were initially looking at penarth but drove through llandaff today and thought it looked nice.

Main criteria is a good primary ( that we can get a place at) but also a nice area with young families and a nice social scene of cafes etc.

Pontcanna seems a bit too urban and areas like cyncoed a bit too residential?

Any advice would be much appreciated....

Thanks!!!!

[kat1885]

I live in whitchurch and love it. All schools are good including the high school, there is a village with pubs, shops and cafes etc and just off a470 so you will have good links to your family in the valleys. Other areas similar to mine are penylan, rhiwbina and llandaff. Other good areas but may not tick all your boxes are cyncoed, danescourt, lakeside and roath park. Hth.

[kat1885]

Ps Cardiff is really short on reception spaces, I am still waiting for my ds1 confirmation letter for this September but if your child(ren) are older you should be ok.

[NoWuckingFurries]

I live in Whitchurch too. And I second what Kat said about other areas. A lot will depend on your budget but moving from London, in guessing you'll be fine :)

[kat1885]

Oooh ill never look at another mum in the same way now without wondering if they are on mn

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

Penylan is lovely.

[kat1885]

I second that hobnob my dh family all live there and if we were to move from whitchurch that's where we would go.

[welliesandpyjamas]

Don't commit to an area before you know the school situation. Spaces are limited.

[jkd10]

Thanks for this great info, we saw a house we have put an offer in on today in so we'll see how it goes plus I'll check out Whitchurch today as looked lovely driving through.

Looks like nearest school with places is danescourt - any ideas on this (all 2's on estyn report but not sure how reflective these reports actually are).

Yes there seem less spaces in good Cardiff schools than in London - and I thought we were simplifying things (next step is the job hunt!!!).

[kat1885]

I have friends from work with their kids in Danescourt and there were a few issues a couple of years ago but the head now is fantastic and has really turned the school around. Good to know Danescourt has spaces though as we still don't know if we have got DS into any of our choice schools and I would be happy to send him there if needed.

[jewelly69]

radyr is nice and radyr juniors is fantastic..i moved my son to that school two years ago due to bullying... never known a school like this one... never any issues or problems of any sought ..a hard school to get a place but if your moving you could be an exception... trust me.. radyr juniors and radyr are also a good [place to be,,, good luck :) x

[Gowergirl28]

My daughter, husband and 2 granddaughters are in exactly the same predicament now as yourself when you posted back in 2012! I was wondering where you eventually opted to live in Cardiff and how are you finding it? Thanks for any advice!